Stiffened roll collar



July 10, 1951 J. v. COHN STIFFENED ROLL COLLAR Filed Jan 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR. JA COB l COHN A T TORNE Kg J 10, 195l J. v. COHN 2,560,157

STIFFENED ROLL COLLAR Filed Jan. 9, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JACOB V. COHN A T TORNE VS y 0, 1951 J. v. COHN 2,560,157

- STIFFENED ROLL COLLAR Filed Jan. 9, 194a s Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. JACOB l COHN X UMJLW A T TORNEVS Patented July 10, 1951 STAES I PATNT QFF STIFFENED ROLL COLLAR Jacob V. .Cohn, Detroit, Mich.

Application January 9, 1948, Serial No. 1,409

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a collar for an article of apparel. More particularly it relates to collars for shirts.

This invention is an improvement on the inventions in application Nos. 777,517, filed October 2, 1947, and 783,807, filed November 3, 1947 which applications matured into United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,500,910 of March 14, 1950, and

2,500,911 of March 14, 1950, respectively, to the same inventor.

The first portion of a clean shirt to become inussed or show signs of wear is the collar. Collars become wrinkled, curled and dirty before the other portions of the shirt because they are exposed more to the atmospheric conditions and to perspiration from the neck of the wearer. The collars are also apt to become wrinkled because of the frequency with which the collar is bent due to movement of the head and neck of the wearer, etc. To improve the resistance of the collar to wrinkling, wilting, etc. various means have been suggested and employed. For example, fused collars which comprise a layer of laminated fabrics made -by uniting two or more pieces of fabrics by means of thermo-' plastic threads or materials have been suggested and are used extensively. Even with this type of collar the points of the collar will .curl and become otherwise distorted. To overcome curl in the points of the collar it has also been proposed to provide for the insertion .of removable stays in the collar points. For example, ,a slot is provided on the :under surface of the collar points-and small strips of relatively stiff material such as Celluloid is provided to be inserted in the slots during wearing; These stays must be removed during laundering and are often :lost. Furthermore, theyare sometimes difficu'lt to insert in a freshly laundered shirt and so ordinarily they are left out by the wearer.

Recently the roll type of collar has become popular in the trade. Aside from difierent style effects which it produces the roll collar has certain other advantages such as not being easily distorted by a heavy tie and being very well adapted to be worneither open as a sport shirt or closed as a dress shirt. With roll collars the points of the collar are ordinarily made longer than usual so that there is more of the point to curl. The roll referred to is .a convex outward curve in the collar between the neck band and the points.

In applications Nos. 777,517 and 783,807 which matured into United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,500,910 and 2,500,911, both .ofMarch 14, 1950,

.to wave or curl.

2 respectively, referred to above there has been disclosed several constructions of roll collars in which the roll of the collar is inherent in the collar construction and is not .dependentwon the addition of stays or other similar structures. In application No. 777,517 which matured into Pat.- ent No. 2,500,910 of March 14, 1950, the roll is produced by incorporating into the collar a triangular type of insert at each of thepoints .or wings of the collar. In application 783,807 which matured into Patent No. 2,5,00,911of-March 14, 195.6, the roll is produced by incorporating a single insert which has bias cut ends simulating the triangular cut inserts .of application No. 777,517 which matured into Patent No. 2,500,910 of March 14, 1950. These same types-of inserts are incorporated according to the present invention and will be described more in .detail below.

If a fabric (especially a plain woven fabric) is stretched in a direction diagonal to the ,direction of the threads of the warp to woof, it will be noted that there is a tendency for the tabric The .ourvature produced is usually in two directions. However, if a small piece of a ,fabric is .cut on a bias .or diagonalwith respect to the direction of the threadsthena s l mo f t nsion applied ia n fly to the threads will cause it to .curl in only .one

direction. It is upon this phenomenon that the roll effect of the inventions .referred'to abQYe depends. The inserts are so-eut and placed in the collar that the direction of greatest strength of the insert is parallel to the neck line .or neck a 0f t c llar.

In the production of dressy .or stifier .oollar it is not an unusual practice to unite .orlaminate -(-by sewing or otherwise) the gfiabric which is to form the outside of the collar with ,a liner fabric (usually of heavier, .coarser and cheaper material). When the bias cut insert of the. above cited inventions were combined with, such vcollar parts however it was found .that the roll efiect was considerably reduced.

This reduction in roll ,effect was found .to be :due to the fact that the ,liningmaterial of the collar was .cut with-the direction .of greatest strength-along the neck lineor length of the collar. Hie roll-producing insert and the lining material :for the outside of the collar were therefore :cut with their direqtion .of greatest strength produce .a unidirectional 32011 in, the collar {IF-he heavier or stifier the lining material the more it resists the roll effect of the bias out insert.

An object of this invention is to produce a relatively stiif roll collar with a smooth even curvature and a natural roll.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lined roll collar which has superior resistance to crushing and wrinkling when worn.

Another object of the invention is to produce a reinforced roll collar which has superior resistance to wilting due to perspiration and superior resistance to undesirable curling of the points of the collar.

Another object of the invention is to produce a reinforced roll collar which is adapted to conform to the neck of the wearer and which can be adjustably opened or closed by adjusting the tie which is worn.

Theseobjects and others ancillary thereto are obtained by including in the collar construction a flexible but stiff bias-cut fabric insert and a lining material substantially coextensive with the outside of the collar but cut with the direction of greatest strength diagonal to the neck line of the collar. The insert is made of interlining material. At the edge of each wing of the collar the insert extends between the point of wing and the. neckband of the collar. It may extend into and be anchored as by sewing in the neckband. The insert does not extend into the outside portion of the back of the collar or in other words at the part intermediate the collar points or wings, although, if desired, the insert may extend all around the neckband part of the collar. At some area relatively near the points, the insert or inserts are cut on a bias sloping away from the points. The edge portions of the insert may be sewed to the lining and/ or outside fabric of the collar. The bias cut edges may be unattached to the remainder of the collar or they may be sewed to the inside or liner portion of the collar.

The insert is made of interliner fabrics or similar material. Various types of interliner fabrics may be employed. Directionally stiif interliner material, i..e., fabrics which are stiffer in the direction of the warp than in the direction of the woof or filler threads, or vice versa, may be employed. Or interliner fabrics which are fairly stifi in .the direction of both warp and woof may be employed. Fabrics may be made more flexible in one direction than in the other by making the warp or the woof at least partly of animal fibers such as mohair, Angora goat, wool, casein wool, or horsehair while employing cotton, vegetable fibers for the fibers in the opposite direction.. Nylon and silk can also be employed for thefibers in one direction. It is also possible to increase or decrease the stiifness of the warp or woof of a fabric by treating with a chemical which affects one set of parallel fibers while being inert to the other set of fibers. For example, the filler fibers may contain thermoplastic or soluble fibers such as fibers cellulose acetate, copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate, vinylidene chloride, etc. and these fibers can be stiffened by treatment with solvents.

As heretofore indicated, it is important to pay particular attention to the alignment of the threads in the bias cut insert. The insert is cut so that its direction of greatest resistance to stretching is at least approximately along a line parallel to the neckband of the collar. The line of greatest stretchability or flex ibility is diagonal with respect to the direction ofgreatest resistance to stretch and is. 1371 1:-

fore approximately parallel to the bias or diagonai edge of the insert. There is therefore a pronounced tendency for the insert to produce an even roll in the collar when it is stretched or ex--- tended. Thus, by manipulating the collar, as when ironing after washing, the insert can be extended in the direction of its greatest extensibil-' ity and owing to the increased resistance to stretching along the warp or woof of the fabric the insert will curve about an axis parallel to the direction of the stretch. This tendency to curve or curl when extended along a line diagonal to the warp or woof will be noted in any fabric, particularly in any plane woven fabric. Interliner fabrics are so constructed as to produce stiffness while also having flexibility. When the flexibility is greater along one set of threads (the warp or the woof) than along the other set, and when the insert is made with the direction of greatest stiffness parallel to the neckband, then the'direction of greatest flexibility is in the direction of the roll of the collar and a neat, draped, roll effect is produced. When a rectangularly shaped fabric is stretched diagonally, there is a tendency for the fabric to curl back and forth in two directions but by cutting the fabric diagonally or along a bias, this tendency to curl or roll in two directions is avoided.

The lining material which substantially fully covers and stiffens the inner side of the outer part of the collar is cut so that its direction of involves cutting the liner diagonally to the run ning length of the fabric from which it is out. It has been the practice to out such liner blanks with the length of the blank either parallel or perpendicular to the length of the fabric as these 'are the simplest and easiest ways 'to out such blanks. It has now been found, however, that the extra trouble necessary to cut the liner blanks on a bias is more than compensated for in the incproved results obtained. In fact a slight roll effeet is produced by such a collar with a criss crossor diagonal cut liner even in theabsence of the triangular or similar inserts.

The diagonal cut liner may be made from ordinary types of liner fabrics employed in collars. The same materials employed for the bias cut inserts may also be employed for the coextensive liners. By cutting the liner in the new way it is possible to employ much heavier fabrics for liners than heretofore because the liner stiffens the collar in a direction that is not uncomfortable to the wearer.

The stiifened collar of the present invention does not require that it be buttoned at the neck line. The roll produced makes the collar conform to the neck of the wearer even when the button is placed below the neck band or what would ordinarily be the neck band of the collar.

The novel features characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however. both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments. when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:'

Figure l is a perspective view partly cut away swears? of a shirtcontainingthe collar of "the invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed view of one of the collar points.

Figure '3 "is adetailed "View of the insert.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a collar with "another type of insert.

'Figure'5'is a detailed view of one of the 'collar points of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view showing the coextensive liner material with a triangular type of insert thereon.

Figure 7 is a view of a triangular type "of roll producing insert.

Figure 8 a perspective view showing -a -por tion of a shirt with a'roll collar made "according to the present invention and-with the top button below the neck band of the shirt.

'Figure 9is a view'showing how the collar liner is cut from a lengthof liner fabric.

In Figure 1 the collar 3 is shown attached to the shirt 'I and the collar is closed, in the draw- 'ing, by the button 2. As shown in the drawing the collar from an area adjacent the button 2 to the-points 4 or s has a-convex curvature with respect to the remainder of the shirt. This curvature is greatest close to the neckband adjacent the'parts numbered 22 and 23. Although the collar is shown attached to a dress shirt it is "obvious that it maybe attached to any type of sport or dress shirt whether they may be mens,

boys or ladies shirts. The collar may also be employed in the manufacture of jackets, coats, sweaters and any type of garment which employs a collar.

The collar itself is substantially the same as the 'ordinarycollar except for the insert heretofore referred to and shown at 2 in the drawing and the lining fabric es which is coextensive with the outsideof theeollar. The-collar shown comprises an outsidefabric IE3 (which may be of the same material as the shirt or may-be the shirt material combined or fused to a stiifening fabric), a coextensive liner 59, a backing II and the insert 12. The parts of the collar are attached together in the usual way as forexample by the stitches 13.

The insert comprises two end portions 3! and 32 adapted to extend into the points or wings of the collar and a narrow intermediate portion 33 which is equal to or slightly greater than the width of the 'neckband at the back of the shirt. One edge'of each of the wings SI and 32 of the insert is continuous with an edge of the -intermediate portion 33 along the liner es and this edge 34 is parallel to the edge of the collar where the collar is attached to the shirt. The edges 36, 37, 38' and 39 are also cut to substantially coincide with edges of the finished collars. The edge 35 of the intermediate portion is connected to the edges 38 and .39 respectively by the bias or diagonal cut edges to and ll. The part of the insert which coincides with the "edges 'of the collar may be sewed to the-collar by a kind-of French seam type of stitch leer its equivalent. The bias cut edges to and ll of the insert are preferably sewed to the under part H of the collar as shown at 42 but the stitches do not extend through the outside fabric Ill. The bias 'cu'tedge's 40 and 'di maybe left unattached to the remainder of the collar. 7

The point on the edge 27 of the collar from which the bias cut edges 46 or 4| begins to slope toward the intermediate portion 33 of the insert ma be varied depending on the style, size of wings or other features desired in the collar.

In'the insert shown in Figure .3 thedirection of greatest strength is along the line 51- 51 and this line -'I-5| will form the top of the collar -(as nearly as the top of .a roll collar can be determined). The line iii-51 is parallel to'the warp threads 52 of the fabric. The woof threads 53 will preferably contain animal fibers such as horsehair, Angora goat wool, or casein wool so as to give the fabric a slightly-greater extensibility inthe-direction of the woof 53 than in the direction of the warp 5'2.

The liner-blank is cut from a fabric re with the direction of the threads (and the direction of greatest resistance to stretch) diagonal with respect to the length of the collar as shown in Figure 9. The liner is preferably attached to the inside portion of cloth which is to form the outer part of the collar although if desired. iteould be attached next to the under portion ii of the collar.

Figures 1-3 show the type of bias cut, rollproducing insert 12 which is described and claimed, per se, in application No. 783,807, filed November 3, 1947, which matured into Patent No. 2,500,911 of March 14, 1950, while Figures 4, 5 and 7 show the bias cut insert which is similar to that described and claimed in application No. 777,517, filed October 2, 1947, which matured into 'Patent No. 2,500,910 of March 14, 1956, in which the present applicant is the inventor.

In Figures 4-7, the like parts are numbered as in Figures 1-3. The collar 3 of Figures 4 and 5 is substantially the same as the collar of Figures 1-'-"3'exc'ept for the shape of the bias-cut, or rollproducing inserts es. The collar is made with the outside shirt fabric Iii, the liner 5?! which is substantially coextensive with the outside fabric "I 0, the inner fabric i i and with a separate 'biascut insert '66) in each point or wing. The inserts 66 are not connected with each other as in Figures 1-3. The front side of the insert is attached at I 3 to the front edge of the wing; the side 62 "is attached to the lower edge of the collar and the edge as is attached at the neck line of the shirt. The bias out side {it may be Mid left unattached (as shown) to the remainder of "the collar or it may be sewed to another part of the collar, as, for example, the under side i 1.

Figure 7 shows a triangular type of insert of a'slightly different shape. This insert straight sides SI, 52 and 3' and a slightly curved side 63'. In this type of insert the sides 63' andBZ may in fact be merged into a single side'and'a't times it has been convenient to refer to this'type as atriangular insert.

Figure 6 shows how the insert as of Figure 7 may 'be superposed on or combined with the coextensive liner 5? of the collar. Preferably there "a'r'enarrow borders El and 52 on the liner which extend beyond the edges 5! and '52 of this biased insert, to allow for usual seain formation (a French type of scam) in the collar.

Figure'il shows a very adaptable type of shirt collar which is conformable to the neck of the wearer and yet is not fixed tightly about the neck. By employing the roll effect in the collar the upper part of the collar clings loosely about the neck of the wearer in spite of the fact that the top button is placed below the neclsband :or what would ordinarily be the neckband of the shirt. A roll collar of the type disclosed is conformable to the neck even without the addition of the coextensive interliner, but by the addition of the interliner 5G (and especially when the latter is made of relatively stiff material) this type of shirt becomes extremely attractive and practical.

Contrary to expectations it has been found that after laundering the shirt the roll of a collar having the biased inserts therein is actually improved. In fact, almost any manipulation of the collar such as ironing or working with the fingers, etc. causes the insert to produce a more pronounced roll.

It will be seen that this invention provides a stiffened roll type of collar which has a smooth,

even roll or curvature which is more resistant to wilting and crushing then collars of the ordinary type.

When a fabric is used for the making of the biased insert which would have a likelihood of unravelling in the course of its use and laundering, it is desirable to enclose the fabric or treat it to prevent such unravelling. For example, the insert may be enclosed in other cloth in any suitable way, as for example by covering the insert with a fabric stitching the covered material to the fabric in some suitable manner.

Alternatively the exposed edges of the biased inserts may be protected by means of a fabric folded over the marginal exposed areas and stitched thereto as for example one-quarter inch in from the edge. The covered material which thus protects the insert against ravelling not only does not impair the roll effect obtained by the insert but may improve that roll effect.

As a further alternative for the protection of either or both of the biased and coextensive inserts against unravelling, the exposed cut edges of the inserts may be coated with a plastic material which acts to bind these exposed edges and prevents their unravelling. A suitable plastic material is for example, a cellulosic lacquer, such as cellulose acetate in a solvent, which is applied to the edges of the insert by dipping the insert in a solution or by brushing the plastic solution on the edges. Upon drying the plastic sets and binds the exposed cut edges of the insert, thus preventing unravelling.

Although certain specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that many modifications thereof are possible. This invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. In a garment with a roll, fold-over collar of the type having an opening at the front and two wings or points extending from the opening, in which each of said wings extend upwardly from the opening and then downwardly and outwardly to form a top edge of the collar, the improved construction which comprises, an outside fabric, a liner fabric substantially coextensive with said outside fabric, an insert consisting of fabric material which is relatively extensible in the diagonal direction with respect to the threads thereof having one side extending along and substantially coextensive with the front edge of one of the wings, said side being attached to the collar along a line adjacent to said edge and a second side extending and attached parallel to the top edge of said collar, and said insert having a third side which is cut on a bias and extends from a point adjacent the corner of the wing diagonally away from the corner and toward the said top edge of the collar, said insert being cut so that the direction of one series of its crossed threads is parallel to the top edge of the collar, said coextensive liner being cut so that the direction of greatest strength of the fabric from which it is cut is substantially diagonal with respect to the top edge of the collar.

2. In a garment with roll, fold-over collar of the type having an opening at the front and two wings or points extending from th opening, in which each of said wings extend upwardly from the opening and then downwardly and outwardly to form a top edge of the collar, the improved construction which comprises an outside fabric, a liner fabric substantially coextensive with said outside fabric, a flexible fabric insert having one side extending along the front edge of one of the wings from the said opening to the corner thereof, said side being attached to the collar adjacent said edge and a second side extending and attached parallel to the top edge of said collar, and said insert having a third side which is cut on a bias and extends from a point adjacent the corner of the wing diagonally away from the corner and toward the said top edge of the collar, said insert being cut so that the direction of greatest strength of the fabric is parallel to the top edge of the collar, said coextensive liner being cut so that the direction of greatest strength of the fabric from which it is cut is substantially perpendicular with respect to the direction of greatest strength of the bias-cut insert. i 3. The collar as set forth in claim 2 in which both wings contain said bias cut inserts which are separate, said collar having a neckband substantially parallel to the top edge thereof, the second side of said inserts extending into and being attached to the neckband.

4. The collar as set forth in claim 2 in which both wings contain said bias cut inserts, said collar having a neckband substantially parallel to the top edge thereof, the second side of said inserts extending into and being attached to the neckband, said inserts being attached to each other by a narrow strip of material adjacent the neckband of said collar.

5. The collar as set forth in claim 2 in which both wings contain said bias cut inserts, said collar having a neckline substantially below and parallel to the top edge thereof, the second side of said inserts extending to a point below the neckline, a means to fasten the opening of said collar, said means being located below the neckline of said collar whereby the said inserts and the said fastening means cooperate to produce a roll collar with an adjustable distance between the wings.

JACOB V. COHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,832,930 Gray et al. Nov. 24, 1931 1,837,998 Rosenbloom Dec. 22, 1931 2,204,152 Rubinstein June 11, 1940 2,444,381 Sperber June 29, 1948 

